


Here I Am

by Niori



Series: Beautiful Verse [7]
Category: Thor (Movies)
Genre: Community: norsekink, M/M, Warm and Fuzzy Feelings
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-06-17
Updated: 2013-06-17
Packaged: 2017-12-15 07:36:29
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,989
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/846977
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Niori/pseuds/Niori
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>With the onslaught on puberty, Vali's very powerful magic skyrockets, and a very pregnant Loki is dealing with it. It's leaving Magni feeling a bit left out, so Thor feels this is the perfect time for some Father/Son bonding. It goes as well as you'd expect.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Here I Am

**Author's Note:**

> Some notes- I'll admit that this is my least favourite of the one-shots I've written for this verse. Secondly, I've never been hunting, so I BSed a lot of the details. Last, but not least, to give credit where credit it due- this was totally inspired by The Lion King.

Here I Am

 

"I think," Thor said as he looked over the smoking remains on the ground in front of him, "that it's best we do not tell your father about this."

At his side, Magni nodded his head sagely, "I think that's probably best."

This was not how Thor had planned the day to go. It was meant to be a simple hunting trip with his son. Magni was big enough now - just past Thor's knees in height and long besides that- that it was only proper he practice taking down animals larger than the palace mice. Nothing too big of course, but Magni wanted practice hunting. Who was Thor to deny his son?

It also helped that Thor knew Magni was lonely and becoming a little depressed. With the onslaught of puberty, Vali's magic had exploded with power, and Loki had been spending most of his time for the six months trying to teach Vali to wield it safely. Vali was like Thor in temperament and dislike of being criticized, so it was not a smooth endeavour. It didn't help that Loki was very unexpectedly pregnant, and had a short temper and less patience than normal. 

Most days, Thor was more than happy to escape their end of the palace, but Magni felt excluded. Magni took after Loki in his love of learning, but lacked the magic that Vali had. Normally, Loki wouldn't have minded Magni sitting in on Vali's magic lessons, but there was an urgency in them now, and Loki wouldn't risk his magic less child in an environment of powerful, potentially uncontrolled magic. 

Magni might have understood, but he was still a child who was no longer the centre of attention in one of their parent's eyes, and he was hurt. Thor saw it, recognized it as the same feelings that had turned to bitterness and resentment in Loki, and knew he had to do something. So he suggested a small hunting trip -only one night, and in the forests of Asgard-, just him and Magni. Loki, not blind to the problem but unable to change it, was relieved and agreed (though there were some very fierce threats of what would happen to him if so much as a stand of Magni's fur was harmed). Magni had been ecstatic, and off they had gone.

The first day had been exactly what Thor planned, and he had enjoyed every minute of it. They hadn't gone far, close enough to walk to their destination. Magni had spent the entire time running around, pouncing after grasshoppers and swatting at butterflies. His laughter had been high pitched and excited, and Thor couldn't help but chuckle as he watched his son frolic. 

"Slow down!" He yelled as Magni ran ahead, chasing after the newest bug to catch his attention, "You'll tire yourself before we even reach the hunting grounds!"

"Don't worry Father," he called back, "we're on an adventure!" as though that explained everything, though to a child like Magni, it probably did. 

It hadn't taken them long to reach the site Thor had in mind. The first thing to do was set up camp, and though Thor showed Magni how to do it, there was little the cat could do to help. When Thor suggested Magni go and collect fire wood, he had gotten a very unimpressed look.

"I am not a dog," he sniffed, "I do not fetch."

Hiding his laughter, Thor had merely given Magni his own unimpressed look, "Aye, and I am not a cat. I do not have a coat of fur to keep me warm at night. I need a fire for that. Or perhaps I'll leave you to tell your father you let his dear husband freeze to death." 

Magni looked horrified, "You would not!" Magni was still at the age where his mother was the most amazing person in the whole world, and the thought of distressing him was a nightmare. 

"Well then, you should probably find some firewood to avoid it, should you not?"

Magni pouted, but found himself with no other choice. Unable to stop his chuckles, Thor scratched his son behind the ears, "Stay within sight."

Magni shook off Thor's touch and walked off in that distinctly disdainful way that only cats (and Loki, coincidently) could manage. Thor just shook his head and went back to setting up their shelter. He kept watching Magni out of the corner of his eye, making sure to keep track of him. Thankfully, he did not seem to be in the mood to push boundaries, for he stayed close and did his job. By the time Magni finished dropping the last stick into the pile, Thor had been finished for awhile and sat watching. When Magni finished, he looked at his father, still far from impressed. 

"That is lesson one," Thor told him, "this is a trip for pleasure, but there is still work that needs to be done," Magni started to protest, but Thor continued as though he hadn't, "if you were by yourself, it would not matter. How many times will you come on such a trip by yourself? You will have friends who will journey like this with you, when you're old enough. There are many things you cannot do, this is true, but there are tasks you can complete to make yourself useful. It would not be fair to your companions to sit and do nothing while they work. Do you understand?" 

Magni nodded, even if it was still a big grudgingly, "Yes Father." 

It would be awhile yet, before Magni would need that knowledge. Vali had yet to go on a hunting excursion with only his companions, and he was Magni's elder by a number of years. It was not only over protectiveness, merely the fact that Vali was too valuable a target to be left to his own devices while so young.

"Come then," Thor said, "We have set up. Let's go catch ourselves supper."

Magni bounded back to his feet, a sound of excitement coming from his throat. Thor grabbed his bow (not his best weapon yes, but the best tool for hunting), and off they went. He would do the hunting for now, since the animal had to be big enough for them both to get supper and breakfast out of it. Tomorrow he would let Magni have his turn. 

Thor would admit that he was not the best of hunters, let alone the best of trackers. That said, he still had enough skill to find signs of an animal and follow them. He explained to Magni what he was doing, pointing out the signs he was using and telling him why they were important. Magni would hunt different (when the idea for this trip had come to him, Thos had done research into the way cats hunted), but that didn't mean it wasn't a lesson worth learning. It helped that Magni was interested, but even if he hadn't been, Thor would have made the effort anyway. Without a doubt, one of Thor's favourite things about being a parent, was teaching his sons. It didn't matter what the lesson was, only that he got to spend time with his children while teaching it. It had been a bit easier with Vali, given his shape, but Thor put no less effort into it with Magni. 

In his excitement, Magni startled the first deer, a medium sized buck, that Thor had gotten track of. The deer was spooked, and had bolted before Thor could notch his bow. 

"I'm sorry!" Magni blurted once the deer was out of sight. He sounded shamed.

"It's alright," Thor replied, even if he was disappointed that such a fine animal had gotten away, "there are plenty more in these woods. It happens to all of us, our first hunt."

"Even you?" Magni sounded shocked, "Even Father?"

"Aye, even your father and I," Thor had run at the deer in an ill advised attempt to catch it by himself and Loki's shot had missed, hit one of their companions, and the yelling had sent the deer running, "It's a rite of passage. Now you know how easily they can scare, and know what not to do nest time. You know how quiet you need to be. Let's try again."

Three hours later, Thor tracked down another deer, a small doe this time, and brought it down. Magni kept his excitement under wraps until the deer was dead, and then it exploded. 

"Well done Father!" Magni bounded over to the body. He sniffed it and pawed at it, bouncing all around. 

"Thank you," Thor grunted as he lifted the carcass onto his shoulder, "come now, let us return to camp."

On the way back, Thor was content to let Magni chat away, already bragging about how well he would do on his own hunt tomorrow. Thor was reminded of himself as a child, and warmth blossomed in his heart. When they returned to the camp, Thor set about preparing the deer. Magni watched him, using his tongue to bathe himself. He was a vain little thing, much like his other father. 

"Do you wish your meat to be raw or cooked?" Magni enjoyed both, his preference depending on his mood.

"Cooked," the cat decided after a moment, "I shall be like you tonight."

The moon had risen by the time their dinner was ready, and they sat beside each other by the fire. Thor used one hand to pet Magni, who purred in contentment. 

"We should do this again," Magni said while nibbling on his food, "except Father should come too."

Thor wouldn't admit that he was a little bit put out that Magni wanted Loki to come (they were having a good time, just the two of them, weren't they?), "After Vali's magic is sorted and your new brother and sister born, perhaps we can convince Loki to come, Vali as well."

Magni scowled, and Thor took note of it, "Is there any reason that Vali should not come with us?"

"It's not fair!" Magni cried abruptly, "Vali is all anyone cares about anymore!" 

Thor paused in his eating, and turned to look at his son directly, "Your father doesn't spend all his time with Vali because he wants to, you do know that?" Magni nodded grudgingly, "It is because Vali's power has suddenly grown, and he can't control it yet. If he can't control it, then he might end up hurting someone. Loki cannot risk that, can't risk Vali accidentally hurting you, Grani, the new babies when they're born, or even me. Once the problem is solved, Vali will no longer be the centre of Loki's attention," Thor did not add that, in a matter of seven months, Loki's attention would be focused on the newborns, because that would not help.

"It's not my fault I can't do magic! It's not fair that Father loves me less because of it!" 

Meal forgotten, Thor lifted Magni into his lap. Magni squawked in indignation and squirmed, but Thor held him in place and forced him to look at him, "I have two children, and I have no favourites. Loki has six children, and amongst them he has no favourites. Vali is the only one with magic, but do you think Loki loves Sleipnir, Jorgamund, Fenrir or Hela less for their lack of magic?" Magni shook his head, "Then why do you think that would apply to you?" 

When they got back, Thor would have to tell Loki of Magni's fears, and have Loki talk to the boy. If Thor's words did not help ease Magni's fears, hopefully Loki's would. 

"It's still not fair," Magni whispered, curling up on Thor's lap. When Magni was smaller, they had sat together like this many times. He was a bit too large for it now, but Thor didn't protest. 

Thor said nothing, just ran his hand down Magni's fur. They sat in silence, letting Magni's mood run its course. Finally, nearly and hour later, Magni spoke again. He no longer sounded angry or upset when he did, "Tell me about one of your adventures with Father."

Thor grinned, because storytelling was one of his favourite activities. He was also very good at it. By the time Thor had told two tales of himself, Loki, the Warriors Three and the Lady Sif, Magni was falling asleep. Thor managed to get his half asleep son back to the tent, and the two of them slept, Magni curled up beside Thor with his head resting on his chest.

The next morning, Thor woke up to a set of paws pushing him and an excited, loud voice shouting, "Father! Father, wake up!"

Thor groaned, "Is it even dawn yet?"

"Of course!" The exasperation was thick in Magni's voice, "Let's go!"

Magni wasn't impressed that they couldn't go right that moment. He pouted right up until Thor announced that it was time. Then, Magni was a jumping bundle of energy. So much so, Thor warned him, he was going to scare away all of his prey. Magni forced himself to stay calm, but he was still vibrating with excitement.

They spent the morning hunting, with Magni managing to take down two rabbits. Magic was euphoric after every successful catch, and Thor couldn't have been prouder. He was cashing down the third when things went wrong.

The rabbit bolted out from the trees and into a cave that jutted out of the hillside. The rabbit disappeared into the darkness, and Magni made to follow. Just before the cave's opening, Magni stopped abruptly. His body tensed, back arched and his fur stood up on end. He hissed, and when he used words again, the hissing sound was still in his confused voice,

"Father..." 

Thor was instantly on guard, trusting his son's instincts, even if Magni's conscious mind hadn't caught up to them. 

"Magni-" Thor started to warn him away, when two things happened. First, the scream of a dying animal cut through the air, followed by the growl of another, more dangerous sounding creature. Then, something shot out of the darkness, aiming for Magni. The cat shrieked, flinging himself out of the way, barely avoiding it, "MAGNI!"

It snapped at his son again, and Thor realized that it was a snake...but that wasn't right. There was something different, and when Thor heard it growl again, he knew, and his eyes widened in realization. He rushed forward, pulling Mjolnir from his belt as he went. Magni dodged the serpent's fangs for a third time, and then the rest of the creature pulled itself out of the cave. First, Thor saw the lion's head, followed by that of a goat, and the tail with a serpent's dead that was still trying to catch his son. 

Thor hated chimeras. 

With a roar, he threw Mjolnir at the beast. It struck it in the side, sending the chimera crashing into the hill with a roar of its own.

"Magni!" Thor screamed, "Run!" 

The cat, who was panting and shaking, did as he was told. He bolted back into the woods, and Thor turned his full attention on the creature. It stumbled back onto unsteady feet, and lunged at Thor. He recalled Mjolnir to him, but he was tackled before it came back into his hand. He went down, the creature landing on top of him. The lion's head snapped at him, and Thor struggled to hold it away from him.

There was a blur in the corner of his eye, and then the chimera roared as something attached itself to the goat's head. Magni clung to the body, clawing and biting as the chimera reared up. Thor rolled out from under it, forgotten as it tried to get Magni off. This time, Thor grabbed Mjolnir when she came to him. He lifted her in the air once he was back on his feet, calling lightning. 

"Magni!" He yelled, "Move!" 

With one final swipe of claw, Magni bounded off the chimera's back. When he hit the ground, he didn't stop running until he was behind Thor's legs. Then, Thor unleashed his power. The lightning struck the chimera, who withered and shrieked. Thor only let up his attack once he knew it would be dead. When he stopped, there was nothing left but charred, smoking remains. 

Without pause, Thor dropped Mjolnir, whirled around, dropped to his knees and pulled Magni into his arms. Only now, with the danger passed, did Thor realize he was terrified. Seeing the snake tail go after his son, and then watching as Magni - not even a quarter of the size of the chimera- clung to the beast to distract it, was the most terrifying thing Thor had ever witnessed. 

"Are you alright?"

"I'm fine Father," Magni was shaking, and Thor could only hug him tighter.

"Thank you," Thor was well aware that Magni had jumped into the fray to protect him, and he was fiercely proud of him, but that did not make the father in him ant less frantic at the memory, "that was very brave...but never, never do that again," he had to force himself to make an amendment, "At least until you have been properly trained."

Magni was quiet for a long moment, before he finally spoke, "I truly was brave?"

"You saw me in trouble, and leapt at the foul beast, and without you, it may have gotten its chance to kill me. Yes Magni, that was truly brave. It is worthy of great tales."

Magni, for all that his body was still trembling from left over adrenaline and fear, glowed with pride. Finally, Thor released him, but it was reluctantly. He glanced back at the Chimera's remains.

Loki wasn't going to be pleased, if he were to find out about this.

"I think it's best we do not tell your father about this."

"I think that's probably best."


End file.
